Pick a Gift to Impress the OC Above!

Shamus looked up at the man he had been hoping to bump into again. "Err...Mr I'sen." He said nervously as he walked up to the man. "I erm....I made this for you..." Shamus said holding out a necklace of some sort, the fragile boy had a couple of bandages on his hands, showing he may have had some mishaps whilst making it. The necklace was made from wood, but had a almost metallic coating to it. It was of an eagle which had it's wings pointing down and forming a circle, in between the wings was a wolfs head howling at the moon which was made from the space between the eagles wings. The eyes of the eagle had a golden coloured crystals in them which seemed to shimmer in the light, almost like it had magic in it.  "It's to help keep you safe." Shamus said gently placing the necklace in I'sen's hand, he then shuffled his feet slightly. 

"I hope this isn't weird and I don't really know how you feel about amulets, but I...I don't want you to get hurt and....I got help from my guardian to make it and he said it would help protect you against any bad people, it's okay if you.....you don't want it...or you can....g...give it to a family member...w...who you want to protect too.." Shamus began messing with his hands nervously as he looked up at the man.

--------------------------

Follow Up:

Shamus looked at En, surprised that he was going to give him the cloak. "A....are you s....sure?" Shamus asked nervously, he felt bad for accepting the gift, especially since En really like it. When he saw En smile and tell him not to worry about it, he slowly took the cloak from him and wrapped it around his own shoulders, over the hoodie he was wearing. "T....thank you...I....I really a...appreciate it." Shamus said shuffling his feet nervously on the ground. "I......if I s....see another like it.....I....I will get you one....s....so we will both....h....have one." He said with a small smile.

Deep down Shamus was happy to see En again, the first time they met he had been so friendly to him, the shifter was hoping that one day they would become good friends, maybe Shamus could bring him to his home to meet Kichiro too, but then he didn't want to burden his guardian by bringing a guest home. 

"Oh hey! You're that guy from last time!" En called up to the young man in the tree. He smiled at waved at him until Shamus came down to the ground besides him. "Are you doing okay? I'm on my way from the markets, so if you want any food I don't mind sharing! They finally had plenty of onions this time, so I'm set for a while." He was practically drooling at the thought until an idea made him pause. "Oh! I also found something cool, let me show you!"
He rummaged through his bag until he pulled out a long black cloth. After fidgeting with it, it came to the shape of some kind of clothing. "Isn't it cool? It's a cloak! And check it out, the pattern on it is supposed to look like feathers, so if I wear it it looks like wings! It's starting to get colder, and this feels like a blanket, so it'll definitely make things easier." He started putting it back in his bag but paused. Now that he thought about it, this was the same tree he met Shamus, and the last time they met he was hungry and even sad. He wasn't sure the full story, but was it possible that Shamus didn't have anywhere to go?
En pursed his lips. "Hey, you know... Why don't you take it?" he offered, holding it out to him. "I've already got my cloak here, so I'll be okay. Besides, if it ever gets bad I'll get my magician friend to make a fireball, or something." He moved it closer to him, smiling. "Don't worry about it! I think it'd look cooler on you, anyway!"

Seated in the hallway, En took a shuddering breath. His eyes were trained on the clenched fists resting on top of his knees, small beads of sweat were forming at the side of his head. Soon. The performance was days away now, and the pressure was enormous. Xander was kind and patient, but En was painfully aware that he hadn't made any progress; he still wasn't even capable of doing a warm-up, and the sirens didn't like hearing even one note out of tune. Allegro kept telling him not to worry and that if anything happened he would be there to help, but it didn't comfort him like it used to, the reality was starting to settle on him. He'd even gotten to the point of questioning if he really WAS part of the family! Why couldn't someone like him sing if he was supposed to be a siren?
En shook his head. He... had an idea. If he could manage to do this, then everything would be okay, but if he got caught...
He quickly jumped in his seat when he heard Xander besides him, wide eyes staring at the stone in his hand. When handed over to him, he gazed at it. It looked smooth, albeit a little chipped. "Good luck..." he mumbled. Could it be a sign...? He clutched it tightly before looking up at his teacher, smiling. "Thanks, Xander."

"This may not be the most luxurious gift," the teacher told his student. "But it helped me.." In Xander's hand lay a perfectly round and flat stone. There was a hole drilled in the middle of it and a red cord was gently woven through the gap and along the rock. Making it a small token. A charm. Xander smiled almost shyly while presenting his. "It's a lucky charm, it give you luck.. Or at least that's what my dad told me when he gave it to me all those years ago." The outside of the rock was damaged. Xander rubbed his thumb along the smooth stone before handing it over to En. "So I give it to you. I hope it gives you luck," he said with a warm smile. Biting down the you gonna need it part.

--

Xander, clearly startled hadn't notice Aura until she spoke. With his hand placed on his chest and a soft "oh goodness," he apologized and  returned the welcome. "Good day too you as well my good lady," he said with a beaming smile. His hand patted his chest, looking for his ink pen... Just in case she wanted an autograph you know. The cons of being famous. His hand stopped patting when she mentioned her employer. Xander quickly glanced over his shoulder. Seung-Cheol was still there, "oh he's a fine gentleman, a very kind man," he said. His attention shifted back to Aura and his grin became bigger. "Oh the fruits please, they are good for my throat. Ohoh- You should tell me more about Rosencrag. I'm a man of culture, I like to travel," he said. Except that he didn't like to travel to the Emperor's court-, "Oh you have to leave this quick? Of course," he politely stepped aside. "Nice meeting you too madam..? " he paused, hoping Aura would give him her name.

"Oh wow, what a cute cafe!" Ennette gasped when she stepped in. She looked around, eyes wide and full of stars, until she saw Aura. "Are you Aura?" she asked while getting closer. She beamed, "I knew I recognized your bow! From description, I mean. My dad talked about running into a young waitress with a big, big bow! It looks really pretty, by the way." She pressed her hand against her face and looked away sheepishly. Ennette, you fool! What a thing to say right off the bat! You've intimidated the poor lady and now she'll never want to talk to someone like you! Not unless... Oh!
"That's right!" she quickly burst and rummaged through her pockets before finally pulling out what appeared to be a hairbow. "When I was younger I had longer hair, and I wore a bow with it, but now it just doesn't look as good on me anymore. When I heard about you, I wanted to visit and see if maybe you could put this to use? It'd be a shame to throw away, anyway." Upon closer inspection, the bow had a red rose, with the rubber designed to look like the rose's golden vines; and it was real gold.
"Do you work at this cafe, by the way?" Ennette blinked. "I came here by chance! I've never been to this side of the city. It's very charming, and I'm lucky I ran into you here! Are you maybe on break if you don't work here?"

Ennette gasped at the rose presented to her. "F-For me? Really?" she stammered, hesitantly holding it as though it were some extravagant jewel. Wide, sparkling eyes looked up at Allen, her face turning bright red. He got this for her? But-But they'd never met before! Unless... Unless it was like love at first sight?! Was that true? Did he love her?! And... did she love him?!? I-It was too soon to tell but-but-!
"Thankyousomuch!" she said too quickly to be understood, turning around to face her back to him so he couldn't see her bright red face. Her eyes were replaced with swirls, and beads of sweat kept rolling down her face. Oh goodness, Ennette! This man just poured his heart out to you with a beautiful rose, and you shun him?! How can you break a heart like that! You cruel, cruel woman! Say something more! Show him how grateful you are!
Yes... YES!!
Turning around, Ennette took a deep breath, readying her heartfelt thanks, and spouted, "I LOVE YOU TOO!"
ENNETTE NOOO--!

"Ahem." Allen cleaned his throat, trying to call Ennette's attention. He had just exited that girl's shop, and had bought a flower as an excuse to see her. Without knowing what to do with it, he thought he might as well give it to the white-haired princess.

"Sorry if it's sudden..." Allen started scratching the back of his head and looked away when she turned her attention to him; after all, it was very awkward to give a gift to a total stranger. "Here you go - it's a rose." Still looking away, he offered her the yellow rose - she had a hair clip of one in her hair, so Allen figured out she might like them. "I thought you'd like it..."

"Hel-wo. I know ya once" Ruimte look at the white haired man, he doesn't exactly remember but he knows he saw him at least once somewhere. "Space nerd" is not a really nice thing for calling others in his mind, in Ruimte's non-native human language speaker mind. But according to the dictionary, he must like space stuffs.

Waiting for a bus is a nice experience, but talking to other is a nice experience to have as well, communication is important! 

"Ya like the outer? Like, stars and suns and moons? I have a lot in my hometown." Ruimte speaks while searching for something in the bomber jacket with his hand.

"Here. Dead star piece. It from a star land" Lil boi shows Simon a rough, palm-full, dark purple boulder with rainbow galaxy cracks in it, somehow like a opal boulder. It was a rock, literally being seen as a normal rock in human world, that pretty normal. It from a star land that was demolished, not his home of course! Somehow Ruimte might feel uneasy or make Simon feel uneasy if he say his family members destroy a planet and he took its last piece... No. That not so cool nor nice...

"Oh! My bus here! Go now. For you!" Ruimte stand up quickly when the bus getting closer, put the rock onto Simon's hand before he go with hand waving. 

now uncel Roswell have a nephew that totally not his nephew but still

"Cool n' funny!" We meet, once, now, again. He doesn't remember clearly about that, as ever, but lil boy remember they met once before.

Wait, what, is that? Can I use Googble search real' quick? His voice sounds diffirent. Just like Ruimte.

As the boy watch his most gran' fake uncle ever until the end of the performing.

"Ohhhh, are they paper, ya can do magic with those? Cast spells?!" Ruimte is so surpise, utterly overwhelming, there aren't much people can do magic?! Is- is him an overlord- no, better not bring that topic up... Not now boy. 

Handle the cards set with both two hands, and honour and respect, as thought he is the knight have just been granted the honored sword "I don't understand but, I will try my all!! Uncel Rosu-well!" So that how his spelled, isn't it?

"Oy kid!" Roswell waved at Ruimte. Speeding up his steps as he hastily made his way over to the alien child. Roswell had a big smile on his face while he knelt down to get on eye (well one eye vs eyes maybe hidden underneath some hair)level with him.
"Oi got yer somethin', just too proof dat oi'm de most gran' fake,uncle ever," Roswell said with that sly smile on his face. He got the fake part down already though. Roswell's hand searched the many pockets in his jacket until he finally found what he was looking for. A small set of playing cards. You Roswell, are not going to learn a kid how to play poker, now are you.
"Look," Roswell said, as he turned the deck in such a way that the back of the cards were on top. The backingcard had small stars on them. Stars, planets, moons. All pressed with golden ink.
"Dese are magical cards, did yer know dat?" Roswell lied through his teeth. He let the cards shuffle through his fingers in such a fluent way that it looked like they were made of water. Roswell stopped the shuffeling and showed Ruimte the top card.

"Let's test it out roi? remember this card, a diamond 4," Roswell placed the card back on top. "Just say stop when yer feel loike it," Roswell said. He shuffled again, but while moving the cards, he sneakily hid the diamond 4 in his sleeve. When Ruimte finally said stop. Roswell stopped the shuffeling and almost invisibly shoved the diamond 4 back on top. He turned the card and acted surprised like every magician that who did this trick daily, did. Roswell's mouth formed a perfect 'o'. "A diamond 4! Dat's yer card roight kid?" He said with a smile.

Roswell bound the cards together with a small leather strip and handed them over too Ruimte. "Just be very careful with dese cards, they are magical, yer have seen it yerself," he said. His grin grew a bit more...Kind. The small laugh lines around his eye seemed to stand out a bit more then usual. "Oi 'ope they can bring yer some luck sprung." Roswell said before raising back on his full height. "And if yer ever end up gamblin'," ok, "don't spend all in one place, alroight? Promise yer uncle Roswell dat."

--

His collar can be held.. As a t(h)read 

   - Roswell............... hon.................. you need better priorities.............. (which includes not being bothered when being grabbed by the collar dfcvsfdvsfdvfvsd-) ANYWAYS. thank you fizz for the boomer food.... she'd probably just let Ros slack and watch her work after a certain point though lbr lmfao.

my response is. actually really fucking long. I am so sorry. here's a spoiler box to keep my post easy to scroll past!! :")))))))

OH SANGUINE HONEY..... I AM SO SORRY.....

here is my follow-up. Brown actually loses her shit!

Sanguine held a box in his arms, and scanned the area for a familiar face. It was quite ironic that he and Brown kept crossing paths, huh? Well, at least this time, he was actively seeking her out. He was fairly certain that the woman wanted to tear him apart, for some reason. All he was trying to do was get acquainted with her, and she was pushing him away... What a shame, really! He just wanted to help, perhaps learn a bit more about her, learn why she chose her path, and also how she's avoided arrest thus far. Everyone knew she was a murderer- even she had proclaimed it herself, out loud, like a verbal badge of honor- but he didn't truly believe she did it in cold blood. In fact, he didn't believe there was such a thing as a cold-blooded murder. Humans are warm-blooded creatures, nobody can do anything with 'cold blood'. And besides, he didn't actually think Brown was a bad person, anyway. Perhaps that was because of the insight his metaphorical lab rats had given him, and now, he was learning that behind every murderer was a person, a person who had their own reasons for the destruction of another life. 

He finally laid his eyes on Brown, and he walked over to her, with a smile on his face, as always. "Good morning, dear Wolf! How are you today?" he greeted, giving her a small nod. "Now, if you're not going to rip me to shreds, I actually bought something for you. This cost a bit, so I would greatly appreciate it if you could open it. Besides, I think you’ll like it. It’ll prove I’m not trying to hurt you, anyway." He handed her the box and stepped back. If she even did decide to open it, she’d find there was an Old Amber fossil in it, and it did cost him a fair bit, especially since he was relatively certain that the seller didn’t obtain it legally. Not like that mattered to him. He then continued, “And, about the ‘you must be desperate to show a murderer this much sympathy’ thing… It’s not desperation. It’s anything but desperation. I’m just trying to be kind to you. If there’s anything I know, it’s that nobody is truly good or bad, not even murderers. In fact, each murderer has a reason for what they do. It could be for money, for something to feel, because they feel trapped and have no way to get out, out of contempt for the world as we know it, to make the world a better place in their eyes… I could go on and on. What I’m trying to get at is, I don’t think you’re bad, Brown. In fact, on the contrary, I think you’re a good person who’s done bad things. Does that make sense to you at all, or do I need to continue, dear Wolf?”

Sanguine already knew from the way this conversation was going that the answer was going to be a ‘no’. Well, it was worth a try, at least! If you don’t ask, it’s always a no. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Now, this man, the Emperor’s Nightingale, as was his title, wasn’t of great interest, but he could see some opportunity in his singing, and so why not have him sing for the ribbon cutting of a new factory? Though it didn’t seem like he was going to comply no matter what he did…

He watched Xander leave, then glanced over to the… Parrot? Well, he thought it was a parrot, but he wasn’t sure. Psychology class definitely didn’t teach you much about birds. It hopped off of the stool it was sitting on and made its way to him. “Hello, little birdie!” he softly said to it, “Are you doing okay?” The bird didn’t reply, of course, but instead started pecking at his shoes. He moved his foot away from the bird and said, “Hey, now, can you not do that, please?” The bird puffed out at him, and he gave it a gentle whisper, “I’m sorry, these just cost a lot of money and I’d like them to last.” He stared down at the bird for a while until eventually just staring at the wall and waiting for Xander to come back. Right as he came in, he felt a tug at his laces and glanced down to see the bird take the laces off of one of his shoes. “Hey!” he shouted, though it didn’t sound angry at all, just surprised. Nothing could piss this man off, could it? He stood up as the bird fled to her stool, and Xander gave him an apology. “No, it’s okay, really. I’m not mad at all!” He watched Xander walk up to her, and he followed suit, giving the bird a small smile. The bird only puffed her chest out more, and the look in her eyes seemed to be taunting them, but it only got a chuckle out of him. Xander told him to excuse her rudeness, and that she was just a bird. “No worries, really! I think it’s cute, actually. A cute little bird.” Xander kneeled down in front of the bird, and said that he thought she liked him. He grinned, despite the fact that, at this rate, it was incredibly doubtful, and said, “Oh, really? I like her too!” He smiled down at the bird as he watched Xander hold out a small biscuit in his hands and told her to give him his shoelaces back. In response, the bird asked for beans, which got a small chuckle from him. Xander promised the bird that she’d get beans later, and offered to trade her. The dodo seemed to like that, and spit his shoelace back at him, before taking the cookie and running to the other side of the room with it. He chuckled as he laced his shoe, and sat back down. “Next time I see that bird, I might just buy her some of her own shoelaces, so that he doesn’t steal mine,” he said to Xander with a laugh. “Now, where were we?”

Blou was never really a big fan of strangers. Let alone if they were allowed into the house. Sanguine was no exception. Her owner, Xander, had some kind business to discuss. Singing for an opening for a new factory or something. Blou didn't care.
blabla, Labor unions , labor rights, letting kids work with rotating machines was a bad idea, blabla, all big boring words for the small dodo. When Xander left Sanquine alone in the living room, to get some tea and think about a political way to say 'no' to the man's offer, the factory owner was left alone with Blou. Or locked in. Depended how you looked at the situation.
The dodo hopped of the small stool she had been sitting on. Her stool. Xander had placed in the living room near the windows especially for her, Blou loved to stare outside the window and yell at passers-by or clatter with her beak against the glass. Now Sanguine was here. And even though owner and bird didn't like him, he was definitely more interesting than the people on the street. More tangible.
So she hobbled over to CEO. Staring up to him with her head cocked. Then started to peck at his leathery shoes. Those are expensive Blou! She puffed up her small feathers when the man moved his foot.
How rude! 
She was just busy with pecking! Blou hissed and hopped a few paces back. Out of kick-ratio.  When Sanguine's attention at her slackened, Blou tried again. This time she managed to get a hold of the thing she so desperately wanted from him. His shoelaces. With shimmering silver ends. Blou liked those textile worms. She liked to steal them. When Xander re-entered the room, Blou had the perfect opportunity.

RHATS! 

In one fluid motion Blou yanked the laces out of the shoe. With her new 'worm' tightly secured in her beak, Xander's shocked muttering and Sanquine's moving feet in the background, Blou took off. She ran back to her stool. Flapping with her tiny wings she somehow managed to get back on the footstool.
"Oh my, Void. She does this sometime I'm so sorry, I," Xander said. With his always soft and apologetic voice. Blou watched him. How he set down the tray with two steaming tea mugs and rye-biscuits, and how he quickly made his way over to her. No way that she was going to give him the lace. She liked Xander. But not that much! Do you know how tasty laces are!?
When both King of The Company and The Emperor's Nightingale moved closer to her, Blou did not falter. She even puffed up her chest a bit more. That taunting look in her eyes.
"Oh excuse her rudeness, she's just a bird," Xander said. Kneeling down to get on eye level with his precious dodo. "I think she likes you," he said to Sanquine with a strained smile. The three of them all knew that was a lie. Xander held a small biscuit in his hands and hold it out to Blou. "Come Blou, give that man his shoelaces back."
"Bweans," Blou anwsered with the lace still in her beak. "Bweans!"
"Beans later princess baby," Xander said. Softly waving the biscuit in his hand. "Come let's trade Blou." The dodo wobbled on her feet that cookie started to look very tempting. She liked those dry rye biscuits. She liked trades.
Blou bit down the lace one last time, for good measure for spitting it out in Sanguine's direction. Her gift to him. His own shoelace. Then the criminal minded dodo grabbed the cookie and worm herself between the two middle aged man. She wobbled to the other side of the room and start to peck at the cookie Xander had given him. She'd expected a gift for a gift. As she was an eye for an eye kind of dodo.

--
Blou carefully hipped on Xander's shoulders. Her eyes fixated on them. They looked funny, a human with álot of head feathers. She couldnt even seen their eyes! How funny
"Oh yes," Xander said. A pride smile on his face as he carefully scratched the dodo on her head, Blou liked that, "her name is Blou. She's my dodo,"
"Dodo! Beans, dodo!" Blou replied. Xander laughed. Warm and genuine.
"Yes! You are a dodo,  he told his bird. Xander looked up, "something for Blou? Oh no we can accept that you're way too kind.." Blou huffed. Talk for yourself old man, she could accept it. She leaned, as far as she could on Xander's shoulder, too look inside the bag. Oh.. so many wires. So many strange tasting worms. Maybe the kind human was going to give her a cable to chew on. Blou cocked her head when she saw the coat. Xander's grin grew in delight.
Before she knew it her tiny folded wings were forced through the sleeves and she wore a small fancy jacket. Not half bad, she decided. Xander on the other hand? Oh he was captivated. A whole new world just opened up to him. Uho.

`Oh, what the fuck is that.` That's all that ran through their head as they looked at the dodo bird, you really don't ever see one of those everyday, or like. . ever. But it wasn't. . bad? They weren't a big fan of birds, but they didn't dislike them either. . .cats and birds never mixed well for Jinx, and they already had a cat. . . Their eyes slowly trailed to Xander (or.. atleast their head, who knew where their eyes were pointing).

"Uhm. . " They point to Blou, raising an eyebrow. "It's. . yours, right?" Jinx maybe don't call his pet an it. "Ah- hold on- I think I have something that would fit her. ." They would slide a duffel bag off their arm in which they were holding, kneeling down to unzip it as they ruffled around all the equipment and such. "Sorry, sorry, one moment." Eventually, they stood back up and zipped up the bag once more, holding a little tiny fancy coat, like a winter poncho, up to the bird and the owner. "I was going to give it to my cat, but she's too small for it."

Jinx gently scoots over trying to very carefully put the coat on the bird, who knew if it would like. . bite them or some shit, nuh-uh, they weren't having any of that. That's bird's way too big for its own good, just look at it's eyes, who knows what dark depths lie beneath them.

Somehow, they managed to get it on, quickly taking a few steps back afterwards.  " . . it fits, right?"

i'll try my best to make a follow up for np!

Zuri was just glad to have met someone with similar tastes. She had very little knowledge of engineering, and she didn't know what the shit "Alt-fashion" was supposed to mean, but cats and dark places? Perfect. The elderly woman needed the latter, anyway, as far as she was convinced, but anyhow, needless to say, she appreciated Jinx's opinions. They were a quiet fellow, but not so unreasonable or standoffish as one would expect from a glance, she supposed.

"I wasn't sure what to give you, really." She admitted from the kitchen, sending a glance back to Jinx, where they lingered in the sitting room. Carefully, she stepped around a small calico molly circling around her legs, mewling up at her. It wanted food. It wasn't going to get food yet. "I thought about baking something for you, but I had my doubts. Different tastes and all. I suppose I could have made a few meat pies for you to keep as leftovers, but it seems a bit too late to do so now. I would hate to keep you here... There is something on the mantelpiece for you, though."

She closed one of the cabinets, at which point the calico yowled a last time before scurrying into the next room, the woman hot on its trail. She shifted her gaze to said mantelpiece, decorations strewn across it haphazardly. It was hard to tell what she was talking about. Was she giving them one of those old, leatherbound books? The obviously fake rose next to said books? One of the many little ornate vases and statues scattered atop the shelf? The woman sent Jinx a look, before shuffling closer to the unlit fireplace.

Zuri picked two small packages from the shelf, both of them half the size of her hand. She turned to Jinx, and with a quirk of a smile that only lasted... maybe one second, she inched towards them. She opened one of the boxes, reached in, and pulled out... a cat. A tiny, tan cat figurine carved from soap, with a small, red ribbon tied around its neck.

"I should hope you don't have hoards of soap, but if you want these, I'm offering." she said to them, "I've already so much soap that I don't want to keep these in here, but I thought you would like them, so it's best not to toss them out."

She held the soap figure out to them. Its empty, soapy eyes stared up at them.

"They're both floral scented, but I don't think it's overpowering, if that's a concern." Zuri added, now turning away from Jinx and starting back for the kitchen. She paused in the archway, gazing back at them. "If you're not a fan, though, feel free to visit tomorrow -- or rest here a while, if you're willing. I was about to start dinner..." She trailed off, her eye focusing on the calico padding after her. "I just need to find her sisters and brother, and then I'll get to it."

headcanon: johnson thinks lemonheads are spicy

   - tbh.... valid. I will accept that headcanon because Johnson is a bitch, and I want any opportunity to dunk on him, as much as humanly possible.

"I don't have a garden, so don't worry about that," laughed Johnson while gazing into the elder and her... One eye. Goodness, did that make him shudder. He actually seemed less than stoic for once as he shifted himself in his couch and run his fingers through his hair. "I'm... I'm not the type of person who just throws gifts at people because I find it convenient. I won't burden you with that role. As someone who's working for a nobleman, you at... Least deserve some respect for your accomplishments, hm?"

Nice job, fucker. Imagine stammering like that - like a little bitch.

That pissed him off (but not throwing his friend under the bus), as the middle-aged aristocrat leaned forward slightly and sniffed, "Yes, I think... I think you deserve something more fitting for yourself. But not a weapon, or anything deadly. My friend was actually disappointed when she told me you weren't super interested in the whole murder aspect of your job." He paused. "Not that I'd... Blame you, of course. Murder is so reprehensible in every sense of the word- Not because it's moral, but because it's dirty. You have to do so much in order to clean up a kill and get away with it... It's not worth it unless you have the right type of connections and power. That's a trait that far too few have."

Johnson clicked his tongue against his palate before finally breaking eye contact with her- And that all-seeing eye. At least with two eyes, the attention could be split, but one... It felt like he was being judged. He shifted again while apparently gesturing at a servant in the hallway for... Something? The operation itself was supposed to be vague, because he was an asshole who didn't know how to act with the proper level of social competence.

Or he just... Didn't feel like it, as he sniffed and watched the footsteps rise, then fall as the servant passed by. Perfect. He shook his head before finally loosening his mouth to show a pensive frown, then sighed. This could've been an easy, quick exchange. Brown managed to negotiate her with ease, and yet... He was the rational! She was... The bitch. It didn't make sense! It defied all explanation, at least according to him!

His posture straightened when the servant arrived with a platter enclosed in a cloche, prompting the aristocrat to grunt to the older woman, "Your present is underneath the cloche, by the way." His eyes narrowing at the poor fellow, Johnson waved a hand. "Open it." And with that, the order was obeyed. Underneath the cloche was... A basket of knitting supplies. Why did he put this shit under a cloche again?

"I heard that sometimes you focus on tamer pastimes, other than killing people," sniffed Johnson with a wry but forced smirk, "so... Here's something you can make quilts with. I'm sure you'd appreciate it, though you can always make other garments if a quilt proves to be too basic." I know that I would... "Maybe something for your employer would work as a gift, mm? You could be a gift that keeps on giving, even after you become - well - a bit too frail for his liking..." Gee. Didn't have to frame it like that.

SAL.... HONEY..... I AM SO FUCKING SORRY FOR JOHNSON.....

HERE IS MY FOLLOW-UP.